Today we come to the book of Judges for our devotions. This is a record of God appointing a number of Judges that He would use to discipline His “chosen people” and at the same time to protect them from the surrounding enemies.

Though He would protect the children of Israel from their enemies, He would use these same enemies to bring His people closer to Him. There are a number of times in the Bible that we can read of where the Lord would use the enemies of the Jews to discipline His people.

The “judges” were actually tribal leaders of the twelve tribes upon whom the Lord laid the burden of “apostate Israel”. These were men and women who represented the Lord God. They were the spiritual ancestors of the ancient Jewish prophets.

The truth be known, these judges were responsible for implementing the needed chastisement on the Jews to produce loyalty and obedience, which would result in security and prosperity, all needed for the survival of the children of Israel.

When God selected the children of Jacob and his twelve sons to be His chosen people, He knew they would not always be obedient and loving as a people. He knew they would sometimes be a stiff-necked, hard-hearted, and hard-headed people.

In fact, that is the way the Israelites were acting at this time in history, as recorded in Judges 2:11. This passage reveals to us that they were actually doing “evil” in His sight and were "whoring" after other gods, verse 17.

If you spend time studying the 4,000 year history of the Jews you will see the “Judges scenario” is repeated over and over again and again. This will also be the case in the last days.

There will be a time during the end times when the Lord allows for seven years of judgment to come upon the Jews for the purpose of turning these rebellious Jews to Jesus Christ as their Messiah and thus their Lord and Savior.

Biblical prophecy reveals to us today the events that will unfold just before the soon appearing of the "Time of Jacob's Trouble", Jeremiah 30:7, preceding the Second Coming of Jesus. Those prophecies, in the scriptures written years ago, are nearing fulfillment.

The Jews must be in the land, in unbelief, before the Lord will bring salvation to them as a nation. That, He has promised to them, in Zechariah 3:9. Salvation for the Jews will come in “a day".

The stage is set for that prophetic drama to begin its final act. Bible prophecy will be fulfilled and seemingly very soon. Keep looking up, and listening for His shout to have us join Him in the heavens.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to live in purity for you and thus eliminate Your chastisement.